Love Me Like Momma Loves Dad
by Laylinka
Summary: A mentally disturbed young man, Vivian, Robert Downey Jr. has a clairvoyant link to a young lady Claire, Annette Bening . He kidnaps the woman's daughter Rebecca and plans to lead Claire to him so they can be his new family.
1. Chapter 1

Started: June 2012

Finished: July 2012

For those of you who aren't familiar with the movie here is a brief summery of previous events:

A mentally disturbed young man, Vivian, (Robert Downey Jr) has a clairvoyant link to a young lady Claire, (Annette Bening). He kidnaps the woman's daughter (Rebecca) and plans to lead Claire to him so they can be his new family, but he ends up killing the child out of anger not knowing how to deal with her distress. So he takes a new little girl named Ruby and proceeds to lead Claire to him through visions. Claire comes to him in hopes of saving Ruby. This story picks up at the part where he leads her to his hideout.

"You have to drive inside, ok? I'll open the door." Her mind told her to not drive in that she might never drive out again. She drove in with her heart telling her to do what Vivian said in hopes of saving the child. He appeared feet in front of her car. "You know this place don't you Claire?"

"Yes."

"You know the funny thing?"

"What's the funny thing?" She kept her eyes on him.

"I know you got a gun tucked in the band of the nurse's dress you're wearing." His words sending shivers down to her toes.

"I do?" she asked, hoping he would question himself.

"You do. And it's not very nice you meeting Ruby with a gun in your dress." Might get her upset might get me upset and bring the apples down on all of us." He walked slowly towards her car. She held her breath.

"Where is Ruby?" Claire asked.

"Where is Ruby? Where is Ruby?" He placed his chin on her side door mirror. "I'm not telling, till you give me the gun," he deadpanned, unaffected and indifferent to her fear. She was frozen, her breath held, wishing she hadn't come here. Whishing she hadn't drove in. Realizing she had come too close. She couldn't give him the gun, she shouldn't. She was supposed to have the upper hand. What was stopping her from pulling the gun on him right now? She asked herself. It's too late. He's too close, she answered herself. "I'm waiting give it here," he said bringing her out of her trance. She inhaled sharply, tears falling as she reached down and slowly gave him the gun. She flinched when he lent his face into the car window. "You know what happens when the apples fall?"

"I don't." She flinched again as he reached into the car and put a tape in the cassette deck and music started playing. He then opened the door for her to get out.

He reached out his hand, a misleading display of patience. She touched his hand slowly, cautiously. Her breath left her as he roughly pulled her to him. She stayed frozen as he held her tight. She didn't even breathe as he spoke.

"I am so…so, so, so sorry Claire. All I wanted was a family. I knew there was a dreamer out there like me cuz I was dreaming of her and I wanted her to be my family." She gasped and leant away from him. "Then I took her little girl. The little girl cried. She screamed and hollered. And I punished her like any dad would." Claire sobbed into her hand. "And she was lying quiet, beautiful but like a door nail." He ran his hand up and down her back. "That's the part I'm sorry for." She jerked away but he pulled her back to him. "But I'm going to make it up to you. I'm gonna work, real hard, to make it perfect. I'm not going to get upset anymore, now that I got you here. And I got us Ruby for a daughter now." He spoke into the side of her neck, "Claire and Vivian and Ruby."

She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Did you, did you get upset with Ruby Vivian? Did you? Are you going to get upset with me?"

"Not if you love me like momma loves dad. Will you do that Claire?" She looked into his eyes again.

"Yes," she barely choked out.

"Would you really? You wouldn't just pretend?" Another wave of fear spread through her at how imperative it is that she gets him to trust her. Looking into his dark eyes, she traced the sides of his face with her hands and moved closer.

"How could I pretend? You know me and that's why you want me. I'll be everything you need me to be because I need it too."

His eyes watched her lips as if he wanted to kiss her. Not wanting it she slowly turned her head to the side and asked, "Can I see our daughter now?"

He led her to the top of a staircase. "She's down there. Say hello to Claire."

"Hello Ruby," Claire said in a very concerned voice.

"Are you a ghost?" Ruby asked.

"No I'm not Ruby."

"No," Vivian added. "She was only a ghost when she wasn't here. Now she's here, she's just plain old Claire. Why don't you go down and show Ruby that you're not a ghost."

"He said you were coming. He said we'd be one happy family."

"It gets kinda lonesome here," Vivian said. "Just the two of us."

"I suppose." Ruby said. "This is Marge. She was Vivian's doll before he gave her to me. Say hello to Claire Marge, the nice lady who is not a ghost. Hello Claire, welcome home."

"Welcome home Claire," Vivian echoed from the top of the stairs. He took a deep breath and put his fist to his palm. He started to walk down the stairs and Claire stood up cautiously.

"I'll make us something to eat. Is anyone hungry? Vivian asked as Claire and Ruby made their way up the stairs. "How about spaghetti?"

"Daddies can be just like mommies," Ruby said. "You know that?"

"Can they honey?"

"That's what Vivian said. They can cook too."

"What else did he tell you Ruby?"

"He told me my real mom is up in heaven where she's waiting for me. That's Vivian's mom there."

"That's a tailor's dummy Ruby."

"I know but that's the kind of clothes she used to wear."

"Why does he keep them here?"

"When he's playing mom he's very good at it. You should hear the way his voice changes."

"Why does he do that?"

"He says his daddy was a dollar and his mommy was a song."

"A song?"

"Doesn't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me."

"So that's his mother's song." Claire thought about an escape plan. She got up and broke off a piece of wood off the window leaving an opening big enough for them to fit through. She took Ruby and started walking her to the opening. "Ruby, listen to me ok? Vivian's sick honey and he needs help. There's a possibility that he could hurt you."

"You're scaring me now, don't scare me," she said defiantly.

"I'll take you away from here honey so he can't hurt you." Ruby started struggling and screaming. Vivian rushed to Claire grabbing her from behind, his arm cut off her air so she couldn't make a sound.

"Go now Ruby, he told her gently. "Me and mommy have to have a talk." Ruby left the room unquestioningly. Claire passed out and Vivian let her drop onto the bed.

He came down the stairs and sat down next to Ruby. "Sometimes mommy and daddy fight and its bad, sometimes mommy and daddy fight and it's good."

When Claire woke up she was in bed, bound, and tape covered her mouth. She struggled to get free and noticed Ruby sitting watching her.

"You got him real mad. That's why he put you in bad mommy's clothes. He says he's disappointed in you." She climbed onto the bed. "He told me you'd be the loveliest mommy in the whole wide world," she said further disturbing the woman. "Are you tied too tight?" Claire nodded. "I could loosen it but he may get mad again. I've never seen him mad before."

"Ruby!" Vivian called out chilling Claire to the bone. Ruby obediently went to him leaving Claire still tied to the bed.

Nothing chilled her more then how obedient Ruby was to Vivian. It was obvious how ragingly insane he was, but the child was perfectly sane, right?


	2. Chapter 2

Vivian came into the bed room humming and carrying a happy Ruby on his back. He let her down and sat in front of a vanity table and mirror. "Bedtime Ruby undo me ok?" He said, referring to his large bun of wild dark red hair.

"Thank you sweetums. Go snuggle up with mommy." Ruby did as she was told. Vivian watched Claire in the mirror and said. "I'd, never, hurt you Claire. I thought you'd be a better mommy. My mom was no good either. She, wore dresses like that. Never knew my dad, Vivian began to sing. "Mom's all I had. No!" he suddenly yelled, scaring Claire and Ruby. "Got eyes in the back of my head."

He rose to his feet and walked over to the bed. Claire watched him bracing herself. "When mom said it was time for bed, I believed her." He climbed into bed next to her. "Sorry if I'm moody, it's just been a long day. Things didn't turn out the way we thought they would. Now, I'm going to kiss you good night." He took the tape off her mouth. "Pick a cheek Ruby." Again, Ruby did as she was told.

"Vivian, would you untie me please," Claire asked.

"No. You were a bad mommy. You have to be punished."

"I'm not a bad mother I swear."

"You told Ruby that I was sick," he said in a tone of voice that made her die inside. Tears streamed down the sides of her face.

"You saw me. You know me," she implored his cutting gaze. "I'm not a bad mother, that's why you wanted me."

He stared at her for a long time. "I still want you Claire."

"Let me hold Ruby, like mothers hold their daughters, please. I want this family, I swear."

He considered for another heart stopping eternity. Then he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I want it too." His hands found the knots and let her free. She slowly turned herself and gathered the child into her arms. She stiffened, surprised as Vivian took her in his arms as well. He sighed deeply. "I like holding you," he said giving her a squeeze. "See, Claire. This is perfect."

She imagined she was back home, that she was holding her daughter and the warmth she felt around her was her husband. She bit her lip and tears fell from her eyes. "Good night, Claire," said Vivian.

"Good night," she whispered hiding her sorrow.

Last night had been a restless one. Thoughts of escaping, her lost child, and saving Ruby plagued her mind. She figured the dark was the best time to slip out. Her racing mind kept her awake in case Vivian would turn in his sleep. Incase he would remove his arm from being wrapped around her, but no, he slept like a rock, quiet, and firmly wrapped around her.

In the morning she woke up with the same anxiety and a regretful need to use the bathroom. She slowly and carefully moved his arm away from her. She looked for a bathroom and thankfully found one. After she used the bathroom she quietly explored the place. She found a small scythe she could use as a weapon, the lever that opened the garage her car was in. But she needed her keys. Where they in the car? Chances are no, but she could go look. She thought of Ruby and not wanting to leave her but she wouldn't come quietly so she'd have to come back for her.

"What are you doing Claire?" Vivian's voice startled her.

She froze, wondering exactly where he was and how long he'd been standing there. She swallowed hard and turned to look at him. "Nothing."

"Something's not right," he said crossly.

"Everything's fine Vivian," she said thinly trying to hide her anxiety. He started toward her she flinched violently and put the car between her and him.

"You're not going to leave us are you?" he said with something resembling concern in his voice.

"No, Vivian I'm not going to leave you."

"I woke up and you were gone," he said walking around the car, trying to get to her.

"I'm still here. I didn't leave," she said soothingly.

"Why are you running from me?" he said frustrated. "Stop running from me." The sound of his rising anger froze her solid. She closed her eyes for if she opened them she'd run for sure. When she heard him stand in front of her, she opened her eyes and tears fell down her cheeks. "You're trying to leave me aren't you? You're going to leave us aren't you?"

"It's not true," she said weakly. "Why would I?"

"Cuz you're afraid of me. But I don't know why you would be I told you I would never hurt you."

"And I would never leave you."

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

She grasped at giving a convincing explanation. "I've just really met you. All this is still new to me and…I'm anxious. Trust me."

"I'm not so new. You've met me in dreams plenty of times."

Her mind desperately tried to get a grip. She hesitantly put her hands on both sides of his face and used her thumbs to brush against his lips. "Yes mentally, but not like this, now you're really here. You can trust me Vivian. Trust me."

She gasped as he grabbed her up into a tight hug. "If I trust you, you have to trust me too ok?"

She breathed, "Ok." He released her from the hug and in a learned action; he put his hands on the sides of her face. Eyeing her lips he said;

"I've wanted you for so so long Claire." He brushed her lips with his thumbs. "Trust me," he whispered terribly close her lips. She didn't breathe or move as he kissed her. She told herself she had to be convincing. 'Let him, just let him, and relax' she told herself. She slowly kissed him back the same way he kissed her. She kept it simple not wanting to add anything that he might enjoy too much. As far as she knew he had the mind of a child and she was hoping that mature themes would not play a part in this disturbing role play.

Vivian told Claire to made them breakfast. She thought about pocketing a knife but decided against it because she didn't want him to get too close and feel it on her. He'd kill her or severely injure her and she had to stay alive to make sure Ruby gets back to her family. She sat the food on the table where they helped themselves.

After they were done Vivian said, "Come on Ruby. Mommy's going to clear the table." Claire finished quickly to keep an eye on them. She found them in what appeared to be a living room with a small black and white TV. Vivian sat with Ruby in his lap with his arms wrapped around her. Claire paused at the sight in utter shock.

"Hey Claire me and Ruby are watching cartoons. Wanna watch them with us?" Claire still stood with a curious slightly horrified look on her face. "Go on and tell mommy she should join us." Ruby looked up.

"Sit down and watch with us. You can sit over there." Claire sat on the couch where the child had pointed. Claire sat and wondered why the child didn't ask or seem to miss her real family.

"I want to go outside," Ruby said.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

She turned to face him. "Please, I'm tired of being inside all the time."

"Ok Sugar." He kissed her forehead. "Should mommy come too?"

"Yeah."

"What do you want to do now that we're outside?"

She smiled widely. "I want to play a game."

"What game do you want to play?

"Hide and seek. I want you to find me."

"Ok but wait. No hiding in the house." He shot Claire a dark look. "You can only hide from this tree to that tree and to the end of the fence. And no going into the woods ok?"

"Ok." she agreed. Vivian put his head against a tree where he preceded to count.

Ruby ran out of view. She couldn't just take the child at the moment; she had to concentrate on a plan to incapacitate him so they could escape. She headed for a hiding place nearest to the house. There her heart pounded at the thought of going in. She had to look for the gun, her keys and something to use as a weapon. Her body shook as she was almost positive he had kept an eye on her. She looked and saw him walk in the other direction.

She slid into the house swiftly. There was so much junk every where it would take her too long to find the gun. He must have knives, she thought. She ran into the kitchen opening and closing each drawer fervently. She found a steak knife and looked around paranoid. She swallowed hard and ran up the staircase and slipped it between the mattresses. It became painful to breathe as she ran down the stairs, scanned the doorway and propped herself against the doorway and peaked out. She saw no one so she slipped out.

"Mommy," she heard Ruby whisper startling her. "Come down here, come hide with me." She crouched down with the child rejoining the game.

"Here he comes. You have to be very quiet. I hope he doesn't see us."

"There you are, both of you," he said playfully. "I found you."

"Mommy just found me."

"What do you mean hun? I was the one looking for you."

"I mean mommy wasn't with me the whole entire time." Claire felt violently sick to her stomach at the child's shameless admittance.

Vivian looked up at her darkly. "She wasn't?"

"No I wasn't." Claire confirmed as if it wasn't a big deal. To blot out any suspicions that she might've been up to something she looked around for places she could say she was. "I was over there," she pointed.

"Funny, I already looked there."

"I was there." Claire insisted. "When you weren't looking I slipped around the corner and came here.

Vivian turned to the child. "Is she allowed to do that honey?"

"Yes, if you see the person getting close you can sneak away and hide somewhere else. I want to find you and mom next," smiled Ruby. She assumed the position against the tree and counted.

"Ok Ruby, no peaking," said Vivian while he and Claire split to look for a place to hide. Claire suspected that Vivian was watching her and he was.

She was looking for a place to hide when Vivian told her to come to him.

"I thought we had to hide separately."

"Why? You and Ruby hid together." When she was at arms reach, he grabbed her and pulled her into the doorway of the barn. With his hands he pressed her hips against the wall while peaking outside. "You have to be really, really quiet so no one hears you ok?"

"Ok," she breathed.

"Isn't this fun?" he asked. His hands roamed across her waistband.

"Uh, yeah."

He moved his hands down the sides of her hips, seemingly looking for something. "Things are much more better now that you're here." He moved his hands back up to under her arms then the tops of her shoulders. Then, dreadfully started sliding his hands down the front of her.

"Why are you doing that?"

"To make sure you play by the rules."

"Vivian stop." When he didn't she pushed his hands away.

He suddenly laced his fingers with hers and pushed back causing her to wince. "I don't think you're playing by the rules." He replaced his hands and slid them humiliatingly down the her front and further down.

"I'm not up to anything I swear," she said desperate to get his hands off her.

"You swear, you swear." Her face turned red with humiliation and rage. "I'm not stopping till I know for sure." He left her shaking and angry.

"There you are!" Ruby smiled. They were on the way back to the house when she asked; "Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Honey," Claire said in a gentle voice.

"Mommy's not feeling well she's going to lie down when we go back inside."

She sat there at dinner, shaking, fuming still from what happened earlier. She couldn't get Ruby alone and she found it increasingly difficult to restrain her words. "Ruby, what happened to your dad?" Claire asked.

Vivian looked up at her. "Let's not talk about those things. We don't want to upset Ruby."

The child let some time pass before she answered. "Vivian's my dad now."

"No, honey, your real family," she said ignoring Vivian's warning. "What happened to your real dad?"

Ruby sighed. "He's in-" Vivian back handed her cutting her off. She started to cry and Claire put her hand over her mouth.

He sighed and took the child by her chin and smoothed her hair out her face. "Look, look what she made me do sweetheart," he said to Ruby. "I told her not to talk about that. Those things aren't up for discussion. Now, tell her to apologize."

"Mom," she squeaked out. "Say you're sorry."

Claire looked on shocked and disgusted. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Vivian put a hand on Ruby's head and she flinched away. "Oh no honey don't pull away from me. He pulled her to him. "Let me kiss it and make it better." Claire watched him kiss both of the little girl's cheeks. He hugged Ruby and over her shoulder he stared at Claire dangerously.

This is how it's going to be, she thought. I have to do something fast. She knew that when she had a chance, she couldn't just injure him. If she just injured him he'd fight and easily overpower her. She couldn't put Ruby in that kind of danger. She had to be quick and with deadly accuracy.


	3. Chapter 3

The night came.

She was on pins and needles waiting for the night, for bedtime, when she could strike. Her anxiety was through the roof hoping Vivian wouldn't notice a missing knife and become suspicious. She didn't know how to slit a throat; she didn't know what to do or how fast it would incapacitate him. He could so easily take it from her.

"Time for bed." Claire took a deep breath. It's almost time, she thought. "Could you take the couch Sweetums," he said to Ruby. You're mom and I need to be alone." Claire's stomach did flip flops as to why he would make such a request. "Go on up to bed," he told Claire. "I'll be right there." He turned his attention to Ruby.

He put a pillow under her head and covered her with a blanket. "You know you're the best little girl in the whole wide world, right?" he said kissing her on the forehead. She smiled a little. He held her hand. "You know I'd never hurt you or mommy right?"

"I know," she said quietly.

"Ok so no matter what you hear don't come up stairs ok?"

"Ok," she said never questioning why. He let her hand go and went upstairs.

When he entered the room she was sitting on the corner of the bed shaking, wondering why he wanted to see her alone. She thought of hiding the knife in her clothing but the consequences of him finding it on her dissuaded her. She thought of hiding behind the door and catching him off guard but she had to be absolutely sure he wouldn't be able to take it from her. She had to get him by surprise, complete surprise. She wanted to strike when he was asleep so she prayed the coming events wouldn't be too much for her to take.

He sat down in front of her, leaning in and running his hands down her hair to her neck down to her arms and pulled her closer to him. She lent away then he took her forearms and bent them forcing her close to him. She tensed up as he smelled her hair and moved his breath to her neck. His cheek rubbed against hers and he looked in her eyes. He let her arms go and started to rub the length of the her thighs. His fingers where high up on her legs when she sat up fast and backed away.

"I thought it was bed time," she said.

"It's you and me time," he stated simply.

"I want to go to bed," she said. He got up and walked toward her, touching hair, touching her arm as she kept backing away. "Vivian, it's bedtime and I'm really tired," she pressed as he touched her stomach.

Her back hit a wall and he took her by the hips flattening himself against. She gasped as she felt his hard arousal pressing against her leg. She looked on in shock, realizing what he wanted. She tried to move but could not then suddenly he started moving against her. He ran his hands from her shoulders down her arms then up sides of her body. "Daddy never put his hands all over mommy but I want to put my hands all over you, why?"

Claire casually laced her fingers with his own taking his hands from her body. She swallowed. The last thing she wanted to tell him was that his urges should only be reserved for two people who love each other because to his understanding and mental instability that's, in fact, what they were. She had no idea what to say to him to make him stop but then she thought of something. She thought of what parents and some churches tell young adults.

"Listen to me, what you want to do is wrong." She quickly slithered out from between him and the wall.

"This doesn't feel wrong," he said moving closer her.

"Didn't your father or your mother take you to church to learn about God?" Her voice shook as she tried to sound firm.

"Church," he mused for a moment.

"In, in the eyes of God this urge that you're having is a sin."

"Yeah, we went to church on Sunday," he began. "I didn't like it," he finished crossly. He took his hands from hers and squeezed her shoulders. He slipped his fingers under the collar of her shirt, feeling her soft skin. He cupped her breasts and squeezed causing her to jerk away from him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back.

"Stop," she told him breathless, putting her hands on his chest. "This is something that people do only if they want more children and we already have Ruby, right?"

He hesitated for a while. She took a deep breath. He looked back at her, "Who says?" he recovered.

"Because that is the way that it's done."

"But I don't want to do it that way," he said like a disgruntled child.

She grew even more unnerved realizing she was loosing this argument. He put an arm around her waist and tangled the other in her hair bringing his forehead to rest on hers. She gathered her thoughts, thankful for the pause in events. To calm him, she put her fingers through his long fiery red hair and brought them down to his neck. "I want to be with you, isn't that enough?" she asked.

"Can't get enough of you Claire," he said. He held her head in place while he kissed her. His hands wondered down over her breasts and her stomach. She gasped and took his hands in hers just to get them off her body.

"You touch my hands a lot like you want to stop me. What if I tied yours up?" he smiled a little.

She shook her head. "Don't."

"Your shirt, take it off," he told her becoming serious again. Her heart stopped for a moment at his request.

"No," she said.

"You know something?" He asked bringing her close by her hands. "I don't think you want this family. Ruby never questions me. You notice that?" He looked at her so innocently. "She never tells me no." He shook his head. "Always does what I tell her to do. You notice that? Now do what I say before I do something that you won't like, something that I won't like."

Claire shook tremendously and slowly, reluctantly pulled her shirt over her head. "Take that off too," he said referring to her bra. Her breath hitched in her throat even though she knew where this was going. She reached and unhooked the back letting the straps fall down her shoulders. Her hands held the material across her breasts to salvage some dignity. His fingers hooked the straps and his eyes widened as he peeled them down until the garment dropped on the floor. She stood before him humiliated, holding back tears.

He ran his hands over her surprisingly delicately. He dropped to his knees in front of her, in front of the red skirt she wore. She felt his hands at her ankles and he ran them up slowly, over the curve of her calves, then around to the front of her thighs. Inch by inch, up as far as the skirt would allow. He removed his hands and she gasped, feeling them around her and unfastening her skirt. She quickly put her hands over his, desperate to stop him but not desperate enough to try and stop him so he could make good on his threat. She felt his fingers hook into her panties as well. He felt her try to unhook his fingers from her undergarment.

"Don't, Please don't."

"Please, please," he mocked cruelly. Shocked and horrified tears spilled from her eyes. The last of her clothing fell to the floor. She covered herself with her hands. His cheek rested against her hip as his hands ran down and back up her legs. He moved up to where her hands where guarding and traced the edge causing her to gasp. She tried to move away and block him.

Suddenly he rose to his feet. "You always get upset when I touch you there." She felt his hardness again when he put his arm around her waist to keep her from moving away and continued to molest her. "What's down here that you don't want me to have hmm?"

"Stop, stop," she begged under her breath.

"See, you're getting all upset," he said as he touched her further. Horrified at how her body was reacting. Suddenly he locked both arms around her and started rubbing himself against her. His eyes where cast down in concentration, breathing steadily. At a complete and total loss of what to say or do she lashed out, elbowing him in the face. She prepared to fight him with all she had but he only held both arms behind her back and continued his movements.

Suddenly he started to haul her backwards towards the bed. "No, no Vivian. Stop, stop!" she protested as he pushed her on the bed. He grinded his arousal against her and she squealed. She was frantic and couldn't reach the place where she had hid the knife. She lashed out at him again "Stop Vivian stop! Get off of me!" she shouted. She went for his eyes. He caught her hands pinning one below his body and one beside her. She started to sob uncontrollably. His cheek rested on hers and he breathed heavily next to her ear, his wild dark red hair covering her face. His body shook and he went to kiss her down her neck as he continued to move against her pushing her hard into the mattress.

His breathing became sporadic and he let out a few muffled moans at the side of her head before he stilled. She pulled herself together mentally and sniffled. He has fallen asleep. She struggled to get out from underneath him but not too roughly to wake him. She wiped her face crawling to the edge of the bed where she had hid the knife.

Her heart pounded as she gripped the hilt of the knife, praying that he wouldn't wake up. Slowly bringing herself into the last position that hopefully he would ever see her in. In a flash she gripped his hair in one hand, holding his head back and she drug it across his throat quickly before he threw her off him. He woke but only briefly, spurting blood in the air and writhing around till he rolled off the bed and was gone. She stared for awhile expecting him to rise from the dead. When she was satisfied that he was gone she fell on her back breathing heavily.

Epilogue

The story of Ruby was a tragic one. Her father had left when she was born wanting nothing to do with her. Her and her mother lived in a large house in the woods. One night Vivian waited inside the house for them to get back. When he saw her mother alone at the top of the stairs he pushed her down and slipped out of the house quickly. He stood against the house in the shadows, listening. He heard the little girl cry and knocked on the door.

"What happened?" He feigned innocence.

"My mommy, she won't wake up," she cried.

He took her in his arms. "Shh, I'll take care of you."

Ruby went into foster care. Claire attended regular therapy sessions regarding her excessive loss and what she had went through at the hands of Vivian. After a year and a half of therapy, she wanted to adopt a child. After filling the states requirements and proving that she could be a fit parent she asked Ruby if she wanted her to be her mother. Ruby said yes and Claire adopted Ruby. They became a family and her heart was whole again.


End file.
